Rassmussen–> Americans Support Town Hall Protests

According to a Just released Rasmussen poll a plurality of voters (41%), view the Town Hall health care protests favorably. That number is weighed down by the Democrats polled, 48% of Independents view the protests favorably and 63% of Republicans.

Forty-one percent (41%) of U.S. voters have a favorable opinion of the people opposing health care reform at town hall meetings now being conducted by members of Congress, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

But 35% view the protesters unfavorably. Twenty-three percent (23%) are not sure what they think of them.

Given the partisan anger prompted by the town hall meetings, it’s not surprising to see a similar divide in the survey. Fifty-five percent (55%) of Democrats have an unfavorable view of those opposing the health care reform plan proposed by President Obama and the leaders of their party. Sixty-three percent (63%) of Republicans and the plurality (48%) of voters not affiliated with either party view the protesters favorably.

Despite the propaganda coming out of the White House, most voters think that the protests are not created by special interest groups 49% of voters believe, generally speaking, that the protesting citizens are reflecting the concerns of their neighbors.

Again the numbers are much better without the Democratic party. Seventy percent of Republicans and 58% of unaffiliated voters say the protesters reflect the concerns of their neighbors. Sixty-one percent of Democrats say the protests are “astro-turf”. Sixty-three percent of liberals say the protests are motivated by special interests, while 69% of conservatives say they’re driven by local concerns.

Regardless of the motives behind the protests, however, voters overwhelmingly agree that the average congressman listens most to party leaders rather than the voters they represent – by a 73% to 14%margin. Twelve percent (12%) are undecided. These numbers remain virtually unchanged since April…

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